


Two Halves of a Whole

by talkcummingtome (TalkCummingToMe)



Series: Abandonment/Age Regression Verse [4]
Category: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy RPF
Genre: Abandonment, Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Babysitting, Child neglect (mentioned), Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Separation Anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-25 09:09:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15637617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalkCummingToMe/pseuds/talkcummingtome
Summary: Tan tries to take a vacation. It doesn't go well.





	1. Daddy Don't!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mistilteinn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistilteinn/gifts), [thirstforfirth (QueenOfSparrabeth)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfSparrabeth/gifts).



> I really want to thank thirstforfirth for hashing pieces of this out with me. I couldn't have written this without your help.

"No, daddy, you can't go!"

  
Tears stream down Antoni's cheeks as he processes the unwelcome news that his daddy will be gone for a few days. Can't he see that Antoni needs him? Doesn't he know how frightened he is? Antoni slumps to the floor, pulling his knees to rest against his chest to hide his face. He doesn't look at Tan, not when the one person he trusts is going to leave him forever. Tan sighs; he'd known his baby boy wouldn't take the news well.

  
Naturally, that's the moment Jonny walks into the living room, smiling broadly with his arms full of movies and toys and games ready to start his baby-sitting duties. He kneels down to Antoni's level, laying a hand on his arm to get his attention. Antoni screams in response, eyes wide as he looks at his daddy helplessly. In his state, he doesn't even recognize his 'Auntie B'nessa.' Tan sighs after a minute and ushers Jonny into the kitchen for a talk.

  
"He didn't take the news well at all," Tan says, rubbing his temples as a headache starts to make itself known. "And I have to leave soon or I'm going to miss my flight."

  
"Go," answers Jonny. "I think it'll be better if you just say a quick goodbye and reassure him you'll be back. I'll handle everything else."

  
"Are you sure?" Tan asks. "I...he's never been away from me for more than a few minutes. Maybe I shouldn't go."

  
"Tan, honey, listen to me," Jonny replies. "You've had this planned for a long while. You need a break. Besides, that ticket is nonrefundable."

  
"Well, there is that," Tan mutters, looking at the other for a long moment. "All right, I'll go...but I wouldn't expect your job to be easy."

  
"I didn't think it would be," Jonny says, but something in his tone tells Tan otherwise.

  
Tan laughs. "Right. I better go before I really do have to stay here."

  
They return to an empty living room. Antoni is nowhere to be seen and Tan, expecting this, heads for the bedroom they share with Jonny at his heels. Sure enough, his baby boy is on the bed bawling into Tan's pillow. His heart begins to break, but he knows that if he doesn't leave now, he won't be able to at all.

  
"Antoni?" Tan begins gently. "Daddy has to leave now, but I'll be back before you know it. And I'll call you once I arrive, I promise. Plus, you can call me, too, you know. Auntie B'nessa has the number and you can call any time."

  
Antoni can only cry harder as his daddy hugs him tightly and turns to go. Jonny pushes him out the door urgently; he doesn't want his friend to miss his flight. Once Tan is gone, he's faced with his toughest challenge yet. They all know about Antoni's regression, but only Tan is really able to get through to him. Jonny is just the cool relative with the great toys. He knows next to nothing about keeping Antoni calm and happy. Maybe the others can help, he hopes as he makes his way back to the bedroom. Antoni hasn't moved. He's still curled up on the bed in the fetal position, face buried in Tan's pillow and sobbing brokenly.

  
Jonny takes a deep breath, hoping this works. "Antoni? You want to play with my hair?"

  
Antoni looks up at Jonny and gives a half-hearted nod. Jonny takes his hair out of the bun it was in and settles onto the bed next to the other. After a minute, one of Antoni's hands curls around a piece and pull at it gently.

  
"B'nessa pretty," says Antoni, now chewing on a second part of Jonny's hair and fighting another flood of tears. He just misses his daddy so, so much.

  
"Can Auntie B'nessa hug you?" Jonny asks, seeing the tears in Antoni's eyes.

  
Antoni nods, pulling at Jonny's hair with a sob of, "Daddy...."

  
"Shh," Jonny murmurs, hoping he doesn't make things worse. "He'll be home soon. He would never abandon you. He loves you so much, honey. Just like I do and just like Uncle Bobby and Uncle Karamo do."

  
This helps Antoni somewhat, even though he's still sort of sure his daddy won't return. He smiles shyly at his Auntie B'nessa, tears forgotten for the moment, and turns pink as his tummy complains of emptiness.

  
Jonny chuckles. "Let's get you a snack, hmm? And then we can watch movies or something, yeah?"

  
"Lunchback?" Antoni asks, eyes wide and pleading.

  
He grins when Jonny nods and helps him off the bed, grabbing his daddy's pillow and following his Auntie B'nessa to the kitchen. _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_ is Antoni's favorite movie, and even though he watches it at least once a day, he never, ever gets tired of it. The others, however, save for Tan, feel differently, but if it'll cheer Antoni up, he'll sit through it more than once if need be.

  
After awhile, Jonny wants to eat his words. He likes the movie too, but three times within the last six hours is a bit much, even for Antoni. He must be really missing Tan, Jonny thinks. The phone rings a little while later, as they're setting up to watch it for the fourth time. Jonny answers and sighs in relief when he hears Tan's voice on the other end. He steps into the kitchen when Tan asks how his baby boy is doing.

  
"We've watched Hunchback three times already!" Jonny says. "You'd better get yourself back here soon because he's going nuts without you."

  
"That's what I was calling about," says Tan. "As soon as I got on that plane, I just knew I'd made a big mistake. I'll be home tomorrow."

  
Antoni wanders in at that moment, making grabby hands for the phone. He just knows it's his daddy on the other end. Jonny hands Antoni the phone then, smiling to himself as he talks to his daddy. When Antoni hangs up a little while later, he's wearing an ear to ear grin.

  
"Daddy home!" he says, looking at his Auntie B'nessa in delight. "Tomorrow!"

  
Jonny nods. "You better get some rest tonight, kiddo."


	2. My Daddy, the Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd like to thank my beta, thirstforfirth, without whom this story wouldn't exist.
> 
> ...and yes, I did end it on a cliffhanger because I'm just that evil.

_ Previously: _

 

_Antoni wanders in at that moment, making grabby hands for the phone. He just knows it's his daddy on the other end. Jonny hands Antoni the phone then, smiling to himself as he talks to his daddy. When Antoni hangs up a little while later, he's wearing an ear to ear grin._

_"Daddy home!" he says, looking at his Auntie B'nessa in delight. "Tomorrow!"_

_Jonny nods. "You better get some rest tonight, kiddo."_

 

 

\-------

 

 

Antoni wants to do as his Auntie B'nessa says, he really does, but knowing that he'll see his daddy in just a few short hours keeps both of them awake late into the night. Antoni finally falls asleep around midnight, one hand wrapped around a chunk of Jonny's hair and face buried into his daddy's pillow. Its scent is comforting to him; he can smell his daddy's strawberry-scented shampoo and body wash.

 

 

Tan comes home early that morning when Jonny and Antoni are still asleep. He enters the house quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone, and kicks off his shoes as a further precaution before heading towards the bedroom he shares with Antoni. Tan is incredibly tired but he also can't be away from his baby boy for one minute longer. Antoni trusts him implicitly and he hates himself for leaving and worries that his baby boy might not forgive him.

 

 

The scene that greets his eyes melts his heart as he enters. Antoni is asleep, face buried in what he recognizes as his pillow and a piece of Jonny's hair clutched in one hand. He nudges Jonny awake carefully, not wanting to wake his baby, and presses a finger to his lips as Jonny stirs. Jonny gently extracts his hair from Antoni's grasp and gets up, more than ready to go and lay down in his own bed. Tan shoos him away, thanking him in the hallway and re-entering his room with a deep yawn. God, he can use a nap, he thinks as he lays down next to his baby boy. Antoni's eyes snap open as he smells the familiar scent of strawberries, tears leaking out of his eyes as he cuddles up to Tan with a heart-wrenching sob.

 

 

"Daddy...?" Antoni murmurs, trying hard to keep control of the tears escaping from his eyes. "Am I dreaming?"

 

 

Tan smiles, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten in favor of his baby boy's well being. "No, baby, you aren't dreaming. I'm really here."

 

 

"But your trip?" Antoni chokes out before lapsing into a frantic mixture of polish and french.

 

 

Tan gathers him into his arms, pressing a soft, soothing kiss to his forehead. He knows Antoni isn't actually asking about it; that when he lapses into his other languages he's really just looking for a sense of security.

 

 

"Daddy?" Antoni's shaky voice breaks through the silence. "Why did you go? Don't you love me anymore?"

 

 

"What?" Tan gasps, tears falling from his own eyes as he hears the pain lacing his baby's voice. "Oh, sweetheart, of course I love you. Daddy just made a mistake, that's all."

 

 

"A mistake?" Antoni asks in a small voice, sniffling.

 

 

"Yes, baby," says Tan. "As soon as I got on that plane I realized there was nowhere else I wanted to be than right here with you."

 

 

Antoni is quiet for a little while as he considers this, tears continuing to fall from his eyes as he hides his face under the blankets in shame. His daddy is lying and going to leave him, he just knows it.

 

 

"Don't ever leave me again!" he bursts out, peeking at his daddy with a pleading look. "I thought you weren't going to come back!"

 

 

"Shh," Tan murmurs. "No matter how far apart we are, I will always, always come back for you, I promise."

 

 

"Really?" Antoni chokes out. "Oh, daddy, I was so scared..."

 

 

Tan hums in reply, stroking Antoni's hair lovingly. "Why, baby? Can you tell me about it?"

 

 

Antoni's only reply is a string of shaky polish, which ends with him bursting into almost hysterical tears and one English word Tan understands perfectly: nannies. Tan takes a deep breath, not wanting to frighten his poor little one any more than necessary, and gathers him closer.

 

 

"Sweetheart," says Tan, "what did they do to you?"

 

 

"They all left eventually," Antoni replies, turning away from Tan in shame. "And when -- if -- they were around, they tended to ignore me. A lot."

 

 

Tan is floored as he takes this in. He's known for quite awhile that Antoni's parents had been distant, but he'd never suspected that the nannies had acted the same way. Tan thinks this new information over as he holds his baby boy close, warm hands rubbing his back in gentle circles.

 

 

"They didn't hurt you physically, did they?" Tan asks, dreading the answer as a powerful wave of anger ripples through his body. "If they did..." Tan trails off before he says anything that might accidentally scare Antoni.

 

 

"No, daddy, I swear," Antoni reassures him, voice wobbling from crying. "But they only took care of me cause they were paid to."

 

 

Tan sighs in obvious relief, carding gentle fingers through his baby's hair as he continues to cry, chest heaving as he tries to regain control of himself. He's always hadthis unexplainable need to protect Antoni from the harsh cruelties of the world, and now he knows why. He cries himself to sleep in his daddy's arms after awhile. His cheeks are puffy and swollen from crying but Tan doesn't care. He loves his baby boy unconditionally and he'll be damned if he's going to prove it. With those thoughts in mind, Tan drifts off into a nap at last, warmth radiating through his heart.


End file.
